Random One-shots from the Depths of My Brain

The Resistance

A/N: This was inspired by the song 'The Resistance' by Skillet. Hope you enjoy!

"Sera?"

Sera looked over her shoulder. Ryder was waiting in the entryway of her room.

"Yeah?" She scooted over on the thin bed and patted the spot next to her. Ryder crossed the room in three large steps and hopped onto the bed. "What's up, Ry?"

He was silent for a moment, then pointed to the gun on her lap.

"Cleaning your weapons again?"

"Mhm," she answered, setting it aside. She pulled a dagger from her boot and grabbed the small whetstone from her nightstand. She began to run the whetstone along the edge of the blade. "You never know when you'll need 'em, so it's best to keep them in tip-top shape."

"Fair enough." Ryder was quiet again, and the two sat in silence for another minute. "Are you nervous about tomorrow?"

Sera looked up to meet Ryder's gaze. With a sigh, she nodded her head.

"I mean, yeah, of course I am. Tomorrow is the single biggest event in the state. And we're going to be attacking the government." She set the knife aside and got to her feet. "We...we're seventeen, Ry! Teenagers! But we're leading a raid on the government." Sera grew quiet and collapsed back on the bed. "...And sending dozens of people to their deaths."

Ryder nodded sadly.

"I don't like it any more than you do, but we have to do it."

Sera stared at the ceiling.

"Why are we doing this again?"

Ryder was silent for a minute. Then Sera felt herself being pulled into a sitting position; facing him. His brown eyes were filled with fire and passion.

"Why? Why? God, Sera...we're doing this for everyone. The Council has been in charge for too long, and their rule is costing thousands of lives. Even tomorrow...it's a sanctioned day to weed through the population and take away dissenters. They have the whole state under their thumb!" He got to his feet and began pacing the tiny room. "You know what happens to dissenters."

"They're taken away to the College," Sera said, the word twisting her stomach. "When they come back, there's nothing of them left but fanatic loyalty to the Council. And anyone who resists re-education is..." Her throat closed and tears stung her eyes.

"Eliminated." Ryder finished. He turned to face her again. "Yeah, what we're doing tomorrow is dangerous. But in my opinion, I'd rather die trying to free our state and fight for what I believe than live a blank life with no mind of my own."

Sera smiled weakly. Ryder was an amazing speaker; it was one of the reasons he'd risen through the ranks of the freedom fighters so quickly. Then her smile fell.

"That could still happen if we're caught."

"You know as well as I do that neither of us will allow re-education. Nor will any of the other fighters," Ryder said. He pulled out a small vial from under his shirt. Sera had one as well. If they were caught, the vials contained a lethal dose of poison.

Ry walked to the bed and sat down again, sitting face to face with Sera. He gently took her hands and held them to his chest.

"Seraphina Abelard. You and I have lost everything except each other. Everyone here has lost something important to them. If we win tomorrow, we can start to set things right. Even if we never get to see it; someone, someday is going to strike the final blow. And we'll have done our part. In my opinion, that's worth dying for."

Sera laughed weakly.

"You always know what to say, Ry."

"Of course I do," he teased, his normal confidence returning. "It's part of why I'm one of the top soldiers here; and you are a top soldier because you're an amazing tactician. Your plan is amazing."

"I can't plan for everything."

"Maybe not, but it's as close as we're going to get."

Just then, a horn blasted throughout the base. Sera and Ryder both looked up, then at each other.

"Meeting time," Ryder said. He and Sera hugged tightly, then he got to his feet. "Let's go finalize the battle plans."

Sera remained sitting for a moment, pulling out a small silver locket from around her neck. Inside was a photo of a couple and two children, a boy and a girl. Sera squeezed her eyes shut and tried to block out the screaming, the shouting. And later, the fawning. Shaking her head, Sera looked up at her twin brother and nodded with renewed ferocity, grabbing her dagger and returning it to its sheath. She took one last glance at her locket and tucked it under her shirt, close to her heart.

"Let's go save the world."

This is for you, Momma. And for everyone else the Council has taken from us.

From me.

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